Police Pledge to Lay Charges for “Blue Light” Phone Damage & Michief

Kingston City Police stated today that they will investigate and lay charges when an offence has occurred in relation to emergency ‘Blue Light’ phones being damaged or activated as a result of mischief on Queen’s University campus.

According to the release posted on their website and Facebook page, the announcement is in support of “the initiative by Queen’s University to inform and educate its students on the danger posed by those who have misused and even damaged the Blue Light security systems located on campus for the purpose of pure entertainment or to gain a faculty jacket arm bar. ”

Potential charges for malicious activations may result from the perpetrator having open liquor in a public place or be charged for “public intoxication” under the Liquor Licence Act.

If an emergency phone has been purposely damaged, a criminal offence of Mischief will be supported if reasonable grounds exist to lay a charge.

The statement goes on to say that “misusing and damaging an emergency system that has been put in place for the protection of thousands of people, and straining the resources of campus security by misdirecting their staff is unacceptable. Kingston Police will work strongly in conjunction with Queen’s University administration, staff and students to ensure the Blue Light system is properly used and maintained.”

Anyone witnessing suspicious activity or offence occurring at or near a Blue Light system is asked to call Kingston Police at 613-549-4660 or Campus Security’s Emergency Report Centre at 613-533-6111.

For more information about the issue of Blue Light phone damage and mischief, read Principal Daniel Woolf’s blog post and a related video report by CKWS .

Read the entire Kingston City Police statement on their Facebook page.